On Sunday, February 10, the Staples Center will host the 61st annual Grammy Awards. From Ariana Grande and Beck to Post Malone and Lady Gaga, the world is never surprised by the common artists who are nominated for best album or solo performance, but what about the lesser-known artists? Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a list of some of the lesser-known artists nominated for a Grammy this year.

Chloe x Halle

A contemporary R&B duo made up of two sisters, Chloe and Halle, Chloe x Halle started their music journey by releasing jaw-dropping pop song covers on YouTube. Their soulful rendition of Beyoncé’s track, “Pretty Hurts” quickly garnered the attention of Beyoncé herself, as well as her label Parkwood Entertainment in 2013, and the girls haven’t slowed down since. The duo released their debut EP, Sugar Symphony in 2016 and shortly after, their full-length album The Kids Are Alright in 2018. Having both written and produced beloved tracks such as “Drop” and “Fall,” the girls have left a lasting impression on the industry and were named People Magazine’s Ones to Watch.

Luke Combs

Gritty, dynamic and completely addictive, Luke Combs is a Nashville singer-songwriter and has become a country-singing phenomenon. In 2017, the artist released his GOLD-certified critically-acclaimed debut album entitled This One’s for You, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. With his much-loved radio singles “Hurricane” and “When it Rains it Pours,” Combs has become a CMA, CMT, iHeartRadio and ACM Award-nominated artist and has performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Well, it’s no wonder he’s become one of this year’s nominees.

Greta Van Fleet

American rock band from Frankenmuth, Michigan, Greta Van Fleet formed in 2012 and was signed to Lava Records in March of 2017. Later that year, the band released their first debut studio EP, Black Smoke Rising and their hit single “Highway Tune” which conquered the Billboard charts for four consecutive weeks. Just last October, the band released their full-length album entitled Anthem of the Peaceful Army, reaching No. 1 in Billboard Top Album Sales charts in the first week. Talk about a hit!

H.E.R.

An acronym for Having Everything Revealed, H.E.R. is an American R&B artist who has garnered the liked of artists including Usher, Alicia Keys, Rihanna and Tyrese. Known for her raw and emotional songwriting, H.E.R. released her debut EP, H.E.R. Volume 1 in 2016 and the follow-up EP H.E.R. Vol. 2 the year after. She has been listed in Rolling Stone’s “10 Artists You Need to Know” round-up as well as Forbes’ “5 Alternative R&B Artists to Look Out for in 2017. Her latest album called I Used to Know Her: The Prelude was released in 2018, and the artist doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

Dua Lipa

Dream-pop superstar, Dua Lipa is a singer and songwriter who began her music journey at just 14 years old. She signed with Warner Music Group in 2015 and released her very first single that same year. In 2017 the artist released her self-titled debut album and won the EBBA Public Choice Award. She’s had fan-favorite singles, including “Be the One” and “IDGAF,” and in 2018, Lipa won two Brit Awards for British Female Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act. Inspired by artists such as Prince and OutKast, Lipa plans to release her next album this year.

Margo Price

Nashville-native and “country’s next star,” according to Fader magazine, Margo Price has had a successful career and won over fans with albums including Midwest Farmer’s Daughter and All American Made. A prolific writer inspired by classic Texas sounds and everyday life experiences, Price is known for her soulful attitude, infectious sounds and brilliant vocals. The artist was described by Vulture as “one of the most compelling country talents to come out of Nashville in recent memory,” and has performed on shows, including “Saturday Night Live”, “Colbert”, “Fallon” and more.  

Bebe Rexha

Garnering more than 12 million overall single sales and six billion total global streams, Bebe Rexha was nominated in two categories for the Grammy Awards, including “Best New Artist” and “Best Country Duo/Group Performance” for “Meant to Be.” The artist got her start in the music world in 2010, but it wasn’t until 2013 when she signed with Warner Bros. Records as a solo artist and penned the song “Monster” for Eminem and Rihanna. Since then, Rexha has been called “one of the most daring artists of 2017” and has released her latest album Expectations, in June of 2018.

Jorja Smith

Known for collaborating with big-time artists, including Drake, Kali Uchis and Stormzy, Jorja Smith is an R&B and pop artist from the West Midlands and is known for her “voice that could heal the world,” according to Pitchfork. In 2016, the artist released her debut single entitled “Blue Lights,” which gathered 400,000 play in just one month. In October 2017, she was the opening act for the Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic World Tour and later that year, Smith took home the Brit Critics’ Choice Award. Her latest album Lost & Found was released in June of 2018 and she began touring with the support of Ravyn Lenae shortly after.  

At Music & Arts, we love following up and coming artists as they climb the charts, earn Grammy nominations and release album after album. For interviews with artists we love, head over to the Artists Interviews section of our site. Who knows…maybe in a few years one of them will be nominated for a Grammy (if they haven’t been already!)